Former Chip Exec Claims Anti-Arab
Discrimination

April 22, 2002 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A former senior
executive at Advanced Micro Devices has sued his former
employer, alleging he was forced out after the September 11
attacks because he is Arab and a Muslim.

Walid Maghribi, formerly a president of AMD’s memory
group, made the allegations in a suit filed in U.S.
District Court in San Jose, according to Reuters. He
charged that AMD Chairman and Chief Executive Jerry Sanders
and President Hector Ruiz were responsible for wrecking his
career in the months following the attacks.

AMD denied the charges and said it will fight the suit
vigorously.

Maghribi had worked at AMD for 16 years and was among
its five most highly paid executives, receiving more than
$1.5 million in salary and bonus last year, according to
the Reuters report, citing an AMD spokesperson.

‘Fall’ Meeting

Among other allegations in the suit, Maghribi claimed
his troubles began at an October meeting with company
founder Jerry Sanders and other top executives and
directors during which the subject of the September 11
attacks was brought up. According to the San Jose
Mercury News, the suit claims that Sanders was startled to
discover that Maghribi, who is Lebanese-born, was a Muslim,
at one point allegedly saying to him, ‘You are not an Arab,
right?’

Maghribi replied that, in fact, he was Arab and Muslim,
and that Lebanon is an Arab country. Sanders allegedly
replied: ‘No, it is not. You are not an Arab!’

The suit contends that Sanders immediately began to
treat Maghribi poorly after the meeting.

Within months, the suit contends, Maghribi went from one
of AMD’s leaders to an outcast, and he quit because of the
hostile environment. AMD says that when Maghribi
notified the company of his intention to leave he made no
mention of racial or religious discrimination.